College Money and Scholarships Tips

Let's face it. College is expensive. Most college students squeak by on a meager budget. One thing they realize is that tuition is not the only cost. Other things can add up. Many students don't even realize how expensive other things can be. So here are a few items that college students should try and not buy. Every penny saved is a penny back in your pocket. Leave the car at home. Better yet. Sell it and pocket the cash. The college fees for parking are probably going to cost $50 a month. Or more. And your car will mostly sit. You still have to pay insurance, and car insurance for college students is not cheap. You will be tempted to take trips on the weekend, further costing you money. No doubt a car will end up costing most college students a couple of hundred dollars a month. If you insist on driving in college, here are some lower car insurance tips. College students do not need the latest fashions. You're going to spend the majority of your time on campus. Buy so...

Federal Student Loans are available to anybody that goes to college and fills out a FAFSA . But college students need to be aware of the debt level they have when they graduate. It can be a huge load on your finances. Students don't normally think about this. They just like the money in the bank. Don't make mistakes when it comes to student loans. Borrow ONLY the amount of money you need to pay for college. This may be substantially less than what is offered. It may seem great to have more money, but college students have a tendency to go through it quick if it's there. You will one day need to pay it back. If you get more money than you need, and you have fun like movies, music, even Spring Break, you will be paying this off for years. You are delaying when you will be on a strong financial footing by getting into unneeded debt. Watch your major. Will you get a great paying job right out of college and be able to make student loan payments with ease? Or do you kno...

When it comes to paying for college, the end result is always a college degree. When you put the overall cost into perspective, the dollars can add up. Here are five ways to make a college degree cheaper almost instantly. 1)Take courses at a local junior college. These are almost always city or state JC's. The cost of tuition is very, very small when compared to a four year college. Some students can take the first two complete years there, then transfer, saving them two years of strained college finances. You still get the same student loans and grants. So why not sock that cash away, then be fully funded for the next two years? The perks can also include a local university partnership. Many offer guaranteed admission if a student graduates from a local junior college. If a complete two year program is not for you, there is nothing wrong with taking one or two classes each term there. The cost saving can be significant. Just be sure the classes you take count towards a four year...

When college students think college expenses, they usually think tuition. Then maybe room and board. And they think that's it. Unfortunately, many students get whacked with fees and expenses that they did not think about. Or even know about. When calculating the true cost of college, you have got to factor in the "hidden" costs of college. Textbooks: Of all the expenses of college, this one can jump up and bit you. Hard. If you take a full time schedule, math, science classes, chances are very good that you will pay over $100 for a textbook. Four classes it is not uncommon to spend $300 each term on textbooks. Maybe more. That alone could add $600-$1000 a year to the cost of college. Fees: Many colleges charge a fee for all sorts of things. Health, student activities, lab fees, and materials fees. These are only a few. While some are known up front, you may not realize that lab class has an extra cost. Transportation: Do you own a car and will be using it at college?...